


The Watcher's Crown

by foxymandy3100



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Good Cows, M/M, Martin's POV, Set in Episodes 159-160 | Scottish Safehouse Period (The Magnus Archives), The Watcher's Crown Ritual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:13:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29024778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxymandy3100/pseuds/foxymandy3100
Summary: What was Martin doing when the world ended?
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	The Watcher's Crown

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dudeiwannasleep](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dudeiwannasleep/gifts).



> A simple drabble based on a headcanon I had that everyone in the local area could hear Jon as he was reading the ritual.

Martin lifted his phone a little higher, tilting the camera down to get the best possible angle on both himself and the fluffy red highland cow behind him. His grin widened, god he loved getting to see these gentle creatures up close. He wanted to laugh but worried he might scare them away. He had found out that they were music  lovers, so he had sung along to a soft song he like d with lots of low soulful notes and had garnered himself a crowd of eager cattle happy to  bellow and moo along  out of sync and tune. 

A crack of dry thunder sounded from a distance. A storm was brewing not too far from where he was, he could already see the cows heading toward their barn in the  distance, so he snapped a quick photo and put his phone away. That was when he heard it.

“ You who watch and know and understand none. ”

Martin’s head jerked around, looking left and right for Jon. He could hear his voice so clearly, echoing around him in a way that it should not be given the  wide-open field he was standing in. Another burst of thunder, this time accompanied by a streak of lightning danced a cross the rapidly darkening sky.

“ You who listen and hear and will not comprehend. You who wait and wait and drink in all that is not yours by right. ”

Something was wrong. The sky was getting too dark too fast. The clouds took on a hellish red  tint and Jon’s voice rose in volume. Martin felt something cold and heavy settle in his stomach. Jon was at home alone. He had left him alone and something terrible was happening, he could feel it in his bones. He took off running as fast as he could, bolting toward the main road that w ould lead him back toward his lovely cottage, the home he had made with Jon.

“ Come to us in your wholeness. Come to us in your perfection. ”

His legs burned, he  wasn’t used to such strenuous activity and he  wasn’t a small guy by any means. He  wasn’t moving fast enough. His legs were clumsy and if he pushed any  harder, he was liable to trip and that  wouldn’t help him get there any faster. He saw people coming out of their homes a s the voice that echoed around them droned on, whispering words that sent shivers of fresh fear running down his spine like cold sweat. He  wasn’t fast enough. He  wasn’t going to make it. He had to. He had to get to Jon, had to stop this.

“ Bring all that is fear and all that is terror and all that is the awful dread that  crawls and chokes and blinds and falls and twists and leaves and hides and weaves and burns and hunts and rips and bleeds and  dies! Come to us. ”

Martin saw their home in the distance, he was so close he had to make it. He had to get to Jon. He had to stop this before it was too late. The wind pushed against him as if nature itself was trying to keep him away, trying to hinder him just long enough to finish  this  horrid ordeal. He could feel it coming, the end of all things.

“ I – OPEN –  THE DOOR! ”

The world stopped suddenly as the sky  opened up . The blood-red clouds twisted, surrounding a single circle on the sky which blinked at him gleefully. The sky was watching him, a giant eye floating above him as he halted in horror outside of his home. Terror root ed him to his spot, staring back at the eye that watched hi m, that blinked  its joy at being born into the world of men, that  reveled in the pain and torment that was being wrought of everyone. The people who had been standing on the path only moments before were gone now, thrust into their personal hells.  Martin’s horror was broken through with the sound of a thud from inside the house. His mind cleared of everything but one thought.

Jon.

He turned and rushed inside, finding him lying on the floor by a broken window, the wind swirling through the room, causing his long hair to fly about wildly. Martin rushed to his side, jerking the statement from his hand as if that could reverse what had al ready been done to them, to the world .

Martin hadn’t made it in time, he had wandered too far from home and the Jon had paid for it. The world was all messed up, ruined, a wasteland of fear and pain and it was just as much his doing as it was Jon’s. He sunk  down onto his knees, shaking Jon, terrified as he prayed the other would wake. When he did not  move he slapped him across the face in his panic.  Finally, Jon stirred, jumping awake with a distorted cry .

“Uh–  Wh –  Martin?”

He was awake, that was  progress, but he was far from lucid. Martin waited for him to gather his bearing, there was no point in rushing, the world was already broken. Jon’s eyes wandered to the  shattered window as he sat up, rubbing at his head to help the soreness from his tumble. 

“Wha–  Wh – Oh god. What– What happened?”

“I, I don’t, I don’t know; everything– It’s all gone wrong!”

Martin felt tears welling up in his eyes, he had done this. He hadn’t saved Jon, hadn’t stopped him in time. Oh god, Jon. He would blame himself for this,  wouldn’t hear word one of it being anyone else’s fault. This was going to break him. He helped Jon to his feet per his requ est and promptly grabbed his wrist when he headed for the front door.

“No, no, no – don’t, don’t go outside. It’s– It’s  real bad.”

Jon didn’t try to get toward the door again but instead, he turned and walked to the window. Martin flinched at the sound of glass crunching underfoot , but Jon didn’t so much at wince at the shards digging into his flesh.  He stared out the window, silently in awe at the damage they had caused. The world was ended, the fears were among them now.

Martin felt something in him break at the sound of Jon’s crazed laughter, at the sight of tears running in rivets down his cheeks and he let it go. They both stood in the safety of their home, staring out at the ruin ed remains of the life they knew and wept.

And the ceaseless watch dr a nk it all in. 

**Author's Note:**

> *hesitantly holds out bowl* please sir, may I have a comment. (bonus points if you get the reference)


End file.
